Five Tips to Help Beat Nicotine Cravings.

Nicotine cravings are the most difficult hurdle in any quit smoking campaign, especially during the first few weeks. So long as your quit survives, cravings for nicotine and cigarettes will gradually weaken and break down. So, when things get tough, consider using these tips to help beat nicotine cravings and progress along the path to freedom.

Take a Deep Breath, Then Slowly Exhale While Counting to Ten.

Repeat the process until the craving dissipates.

This is good for the majority of nicotine cravings and will also help with habitual and emotional craves.

Grab a Drink.

This can be plain water, but drinks that are fizzy, sweet or sour, can give you a slight dopamine kick and provide a sense of satisfaction.

Eat Something.

Cravings may become worse when you are hungry as hunger can sometimes be confused for cravings.

If craving, check whether or not you are due for a meal.

If you are genuinely craving nicotine, consider nibbling on sweet or savory treats as they can also provide a natural dopamine hit.

Take a Shower or Bath.

Having a shower or bath can be extremely useful during the early stages. They provide a period of respite from the intense waves of nicotine cravings and withdrawals.

Yell into a Pillow.

When nicotine cravings peak, they may become so intense and aggressive, that the only way of finding relief is to grab a pillow and yell at the top of your lungs.

Are you an ex smoker or someone currently quitting? Do you have any tips that others could use to beat nicotine cravings? If so, leave a comment below.

I write, whether its in my quitters diary or type an essay on my computer – hitting the keys with energy of course. One other thing I found really useful is reading this website (I know this sounds coy) but its about concentrating on the articles, getting to grips with what your body is doing and why and reminding yourself why you are putting yourself through this because it is not easy.

quit when you get a flu and your throat is sore, it makes it easier to stick to not smoking in the beginning. keep reminding yourself how much better you feel not smoking. and make sure you still have a few left in your pack so you don’t get that panic feeling of not having any cigarettes. to stop your temptation to smoke them, draw little people onto the cigarette paper and think of them as your little friends you carry around with you, dont let anyone (including yourself) burn and smoke your little friends.

Day 7 for me!!! Feel great…Excercise helps as well as putting all my energy into redecorating, painting and yard work…I took a tee shirt out of the drawer in my bedroom an got on the treadmill and OMG..the stench from the cigarette smoke was awful!! I like the cinnamon sticks as well!! I am so tired…and try to get as much rest as possible…:) God speed!! and good luck one your new smoke free journey…

good idea Briddy! I like to draw pictures of animals on my cigarettes such as my dog Bessie. That way I have happy thoughts every time I reach for the pack. And I imagine the stench of the fur if I “lit” her up – which puts me off. Works every time!

Hi, 3 days cigarretes and pot free, its my second time, the last was arownd 7 years ago and I got 3 years tobaco free. But then a lady broke my heart and I got dumb and back to smoking. My tip is: a glass of water everytime you get a craving, carrots and apples too. Carrots are good, if you dont like it put some mayonnaise on it or your favorite sauce. I put only salt. It’s shape helps fooling the cravings, makes me feel like bugs bunny and have the oral fixation hand to mouth thing. Apples are healthy and good and when you have a craving pickup an apple and start chewing slowly …

Chuppa Chups..not just the lolly but keeping the stick around for chewing and pretending its a cig. Sometimes if around others who are smoking (rare, but it happens) I will take one of their cigs and go through the motions of smoking etc. w/out lighting it. Drinking a glass of water, brushing teeth, taking a shower, slow breathing…these all help. Also, as someone who has been using mindfulness meditation for many years, I cant tell you how much this helped for cravings…simply “observing” the cravings until they melt away, not rejecting them or wanting them to go away per se.

Plus, yes, food. Breadsticks with humous or other dips, nachos, potato chips. Mostly bad stuff but after a month I was able to deal with the 5kg I gained via better diet and exercise…its worth it for me. Easy enough to deal with weight issues etc later and anyway, sugar and junk food may not be good for you but it beats smoking and is relatively easy to deal with these impulses later.

I have been smoking for past 6 years. I felt a slight pain in the chest and I am having bad thoughts of a heart attack at the age of 22. My thoughts can be severe but for the first time in my whole huge life, I have felt the urge to quit smoking. The last one I smoked was an hour ago. For past half an hour, I ve been reading abt how to quit smoking and it feels like a nightmare already to even think abt it. Never ever have I had the thoughts of quitting it. Infact I never even thought of it as an addiction and all of a sudden when today, I ve confessed and want to quit. This world seems like a ruthless place.

I became convinced from my prior failed attempts that nicotine replacement (NR) was simply postponing the inevitable because I merely changed my choice of consumption.
This time I went cold turkey and surprisingly I had minimal withdrawals!! I was dumbfounded but very pleased. Today I am 72 days smoke free and will NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!!!! I found that drinking a lot of water, running in place and deep breathing really helped me get through my cravings. I wish everyone self control on your endeavor to becoming healthy and enjoying your new freedom – WE ARE WORTH THE EFFORT!!

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About Me.

My name is Cameron Kellett and on the 10th of August 2011, I ended my twenty year addiction to nicotine by stopping smoking. I am also an avid Batman fan. Full time student (at 37!). A loving dad. A loving husband. Coffee freak. Chocoholic. Star Wars fan. Breaking Bad fan. Game of Thrones fan. Daenerys for the WIN! And of course, the founder of achoice2live.com! More.